In a sea of incredible Neapolitan-style Margheritas, New Haven-inspired white clam pies or even a good ol' cracker square with Provel, the classic pepperoni slice remains the quintessence of American pizza. Even a cheesy, grease-slicked slice from the gas station can get the job done surprisingly well, but these five places take the form to a transcendent level.
Tags:
- best pepperoni pizza,
- St. Louis pizza,
- top 5,
- best St. Louis pizza,
- pepperoni pizza
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Mabel Suen
O+O Pizza
Though it's difficult to order anything other than the eggplant Parmesan at O+O Pizza (102 West Lockwood Avenue, Webster Groves), the pepperoni pies make a good argument for branching out. Here, sauce and crust are beautiful vehicles for small discs of Ezzo pepperoni, a fatty paprika- and garlic-forward version of the ubiquitous pizza sausage that many consider the best around. Fior di latte and pecorino add richness, but the key to this pie is the Calabrian chile-infused hot honey drizzle that mingles with the deeply savory meat and vibrant sauce to form an otherworldly spicy-sweet rich flavor.
1 of 5
Andy Paulissen
La Pizza
The only acceptable slice for many New York expats, the iconic La Pizza (8137 Delmar Boulevard, University City) is the embodiment of the quintessential Big Apple slice. This is as classic as it comes: zesty sauce, melted greasy cheese and a generous smattering of paprika- and garlic-forward pepperoni rounds, all on a slice that can be folded and eaten off a paper plate, as God intended.
2 of 5
Mabel Suen
Pie Guy Pizza
Owner Mitch Frost's painstaking pizza R&D resulted in the New York-style pie at Pie Guy Pizza (4189 Manchester Avenue), which is characterized by a thin layer of crispness that yields to soft dough, similar to a perfectly griddled piece of Texas toast. It's a stunning canvas for molten cheese and garlicky pepperoni that is so fatty, it's equal parts white and red.
3 of 5
Cheryl Baehr
Union Loafers
You'd expect nothing less than crust perfection from a bread bakery as renowned as Union Loafers (1629 Tower Grove Avenue), and Ted Wilson and company do not disappoint. You could eat this soft, chewy masterpiece plain and still be happy, but why do that when you can have it covered in piquant tomato sauce, mozzarella and grana padano cheese, pepperoni, fresh herbs and — the show stealer — Calabrian chiles that cut through the pizza's richness with vibrant heat.
4 of 5
BRADEN MCMAKIN
1929 Pizza & Wine
The magnificent wood-fired pies at 1929 Pizza & Wine (7 North Wood River Avenue, Wood River, Illinois) feature an outstanding crust that is slightly fluffier than a traditional Neapolitan pizza but infused with a wood char that gives every bite a lovely earthiness. For its pepperoni version, the restaurant uses large rounds of the garlicky sausage that are sliced prosciutto thin, allowing them to curl up at the edges when heated, even as they stay impossibly tender. Coupled with the housemade mozzarella, this adds a significant goo factor that is positively decadent.
5 of 5
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